Robert E. Underdown, AINS, SIA, AIC, ARM, The Insurance Archaeologist ™, is an Insurance and Risk Management Expert with over 30 years of experience in both private & public risk management.

Selected Background Experience - Mr. Underdown's past experience includes serving as Director of Risk Management for Rural/Metro Corporation, Scottsdale, AZ, where he managed $20 million risk management program and completed due diligence on 60 acquisitions in 48 months. As Assistant Vice President of Imperial Corporation, San Diego, CA, he managed special insurance for a $2 billion loan portfolio and implemented a risk management program for 60 branch offices. Mr. Underdown also served as Risk Management and Employee Benefits Manager for the City of Escondido, CA, where implemented risk management programs and completed self-funded health insurance, saving $750,000.

Litigation Support - Mr. Underdown is a highly qualified insurance expert witness providing testimony in insurance cases across the United States. His services are available to attorneys representing both Plaintiff and Defense.

In the specific area of BAD FAITH, Mr. Underdown has provided expert testimony on many bad faith claims for both Defendants and Plaintiffs. He has provided testimony in a number of cases where the insurance company has successfully eliminated the bad faith count by summary judgement. The key issue is whether the actions of the insurance company were reasonable under the specific circumstances of the case.

Some of the recent cases for which he has provided insurance expert testimony include:

Tommy R. Michaels, CPCU, AIC, ARe, ARM is an Insurance Professional with over 45 years of experience in the Property and Casualty Insurance industry.

Mr. Michaels has worked in the Home Office of a large insurance company determining coverage obligation, providing coverage interpretation, and performing functions of an insurance archaeologist. He has taught insurance courses through Robert Morris College, University of Connecticut, and Society of CPCU, Memphis Chapter.

Mr. Michaels' experience in claims includes direct handling, supervision of adjusters and other supervisors, claim office administration and development of a system that integrated various technologies to eliminate paper within the claim office. He has unparalleled claim expertise in property and casualty claims developed from his years of direct handling and supervising claim handlers. Mr. Michaels has handled claims in several states including Arkansas, Connecticut, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia. He also directly handled all Fidelity and Surety claims in the State of Oklahoma.

Litigation Support - Tommy Michaels has had the opportunity to do complex claims analysis and negotiate large settlements totaling more than $250,000,000. He has resolved coverage issues, reconstructed decades old policies, and been involved in coverage litigation throughout the United States.

As an expert witness, Mr. Michaels has provided deposition and trial testimony, prepared expert reports in compliance with FRCP 26(2)(B), and has been used as a Consulting Witness. He has given testimony in over 30 depositions in State and Federal Court cases as well as testimony given at trial.

Paul W. Burkett, JD, CPCU, CIC, ARM,CRM, ALCM is an Insurance and Risk Management specialist. President and CEO of Snoaspen Insurance Group, Inc., Mr. Burkett began his career as a Loss Control Representative for SAFECO Insurance Company after serving as an Officer in the United States Air Force. During his career with SAFECO, he served as a Loss Control Supervisor, Loss Control Manager, Commercial Sales Representative, Division Commercial Lines Underwriting Manager, and Regional Workers Compensation Manager.

From Safeco Insurance Company, Mr. Burkett worked for Frank B. Hall & Company as a Vice President in charge of Risk Management Services. He was responsible for design and implementation of alternative insurance programs such as pools, self-insurance, and captives. From Frank B. Hall, Mr. Burkett assisted in establishing the Meadowbrook of Colorado office and focused on developing specialized group programs. Paul assisted in establishing TUITIONGard which specialized in coverage for private student loans provided through banks in the United States.

Mr. Burkett currently provides litigation support services to attorneys for both Plaintiff and Defense. He has been deposed and/or testified approximately 10 rimes in the last five years.

Scott Stein, ARM, is an Insurance Industry Expert and Professional Liability Insurance Broker with over 24 years of experience. He has served the last 16 years as an Agency Owner preceded by 7 years at two of the world's largest insurance brokers

Throughout his career, Mr. Stein has been negotiating and placing the broadest and most comprehensive Professional Liability Insurance with specific emphasis on Legal Malpractice Insurance and Directors and Officers cover; to also include Architects E&O, Accountant Malpractice Insurance, Employment Practice Liability Insurance, Medical Malpractice and Medical Defense coverage, and nearly every other specialty within the Professional Liability Insurance spectrum, as well as Worker's Compensation Insurance.

Litigation Support - Mr. Stein provides expert witness services to counsel representing both plaintiff and defendant. He has been engaged in excess of 110 cases as an insurance industry expert in the past 10 years. Never disqualified or challenged as an expert by any Court, Mr. Stein has extensive deposition history and trial testimony experience. His cases involve all areas of Broker and Insurance Carrier Standards of Care and his services include depositions, Written reports, and trial testimony when necessary.

Mr. Stegall holds a B.A. in Communications from Auburn University. He is President of the Society of Risk Management Consultants, Insurance Practice Director and Faculty Member of 86 Pillars, Member of the Board of Directors of Alabama Captive Association, Inc., an Associate Member of the American Bar Association, a Member of the Defense Research Institute, a Member of the Association of Registered Professional Adjusters and a Member of the Forensic Expert Witness Association.

He has been Designated as an expert on over 90 forensic case assignments, in over 32 State and 32 Federal Districts. He has provided over 70 Expert Opinion Reports, been Deposed over 40 times and testified in four Trials. Approximately 60% of cases were for the Defense and 40% for the Plaintiffs.

Joe L. Williams, CPCU, partner in PozmantierWilliams Insurance Consultants, LLC, has over 49 years of experience as an Insurance Agent / Broker and Insurance Consultant. From 1970 until 2007, he was a principal shareholder in a large Houston firm, Wisenberg Insurance + Risk Management, and was Chairman and CEO when the firm was sold to a subsidiary of Wells Fargo Bank.

One of the youngest people ever to receive the CPCU professional designation at the age of 23, Mr. Williams is very familiar with all phases of the insurance industry, including consulting on bad faith, customs and practices, and standards of care. He has particular expertise in property coverage, business interruption, non-subscription, and risk transfer techniques.

Litigation Support - Mr. Williams provides expert services to counsel representing both Plaintiff and Defense. He offers objective opinions on the following matters:

Daryll W. Martin, JD, MBA has a unique professional experience as a Lawyer, Insurance Broker, and Insurance Brokerage Executive. Mr Martin has over 30 years of insurance experience, serving nearly half of that time as corporate counsel for two international brokers, and the other half of that time as a senior insurance brokerage executive.

Olie R. Jolstad, SCLA, FACFEI, has worked in the Insurance Industry for more than 37 years. Over the span of his career, Mr. Jolstad has worked with various types of civil litigation involving coverage disputes, claims handling practices, bad faith, unfair and deceptive practices, duties and standards of care regarding the procurement of insurance. In addition, he has worked on forensic insurance policy reconstruction projects on behalf of policyholders.

Litigation Support - Mr. Jolstad has been providing litigation support services for approximately 20 years. He has been retained as an expert witness in approximately 200 cases and has been qualified to testify in various state and federal courts. He offers services to attorneys representing both Plaintiff and Defense.

Mr. Jolstad has been retained as an expert and consultant where insurance coverage at issue involving:

General Liability Insurance

Commercial Property Insurance

Commercial Property Time Element and Extra Expense Coverage

Builders Risk / Construction

Construction Wrap-Up

Directors & Officers / Employment Practices Liability

Umbrella and Excess Liability and Duty Triggering Events

Aviation

Workers' Compensation

With specific attention focused on:

Insurance Industry Customs, Practices, and Standards

Good Faith / Bad Faith Claims Handling Practices

Insurance Agent and Broker Standard of Care and Duty to Procure Insurance

Key Coleman, CPA, CFA, CPCU, ARe is a Director in the Insurance Disputes practice of Marcum LLP in Philadelphia. Mr. Coleman focuses on forensics, dispute analysis, damages and expert testimony in the Insurance and Reinsurance Industry. His clients include insurance companies, reinsurers and insurance attorneys.

Professional Background - Mr. Coleman has over 25 years of experience providing business and financial analysis in the insurance and reinsurance industry. Prior to joining Marcum, he spent the bulk of his career in Chicago where he held high level positions with Grant Thornton LLP and LECG/Smart in their disputes practice. Prior to that, he was a Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, where for more than 11 years he provided forensic and dispute analysis in matters involving insurers, reinsurers, brokers, Third Party Administrators (TPAs) and Managing General Agencies (MGAs).

Litigation Support - Having developed skills in underwriting, claims, reinsurance and accounting, Key Coleman is often called upon to perform expert analysis relating to Damages in Insurance or Reinsurance Disputes. He is one of the few experts nationwide who holds both the CPA and the CPCU designations. Mr. Coleman performs expert testimony as an insurance economic damages expert witness both locally and nationwide. In addition, he performs inspections of MGAs, TPAs, ceding companies, and insureds.

An abbreviated list of his insurance expert and damages specialties include:

For 32 years, Steven Plitt has represented policyholders / insureds in litigation and trial as well as representing insurance companies in Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith matters. During his career, he has reviewed more than 6,000 claim files from more than 100 insurance companies. He has regularly consulted with all levels of claim department management from claim adjusters, supervisors, branch claim managers, claim-legal personnel and executive level insurance company management.

Mr. Plitt has also consulted with underwriting departments and participated with insurance company product development units and claims-legal to draft insurance policy language. He has reviewed and analyzed a broad spectrum of testimony from claims adjusters, claims management, claims attorneys, underwriters and other insurance company management as well as other insurance experts. He has reviewed an extensive variety of claims manuals, claims guidelines and other claims directives and practices.

Mr. Plitt is a nationally recognized expert witness in insurance claim handling and bad faith cases and has been retained as an expert in more than 480+ cases venued in 30 states. He has qualified in both state and Federal Courts as a claims handling and insurance expert. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Arizona where he teaches insurance law.

Areas of Expertise:

Insurance Extra-contractual

Bad Faith Claims / Breach of Contract Claims

Claims Handling Practices

Unfair Claims Practices

Policy Interpretation

Coverage Denials

Property & Casualty Insurance

Personal & Commercial Lines

Surplus Lines

Excess & Umbrella Insurance

Insurance Agent / Broker Errors & Omissions

Miscellaneous Coverage

Mr. Plitt has an LL.M. in Insurance from the University of Connecticut. He is the current successor author to COUCH ON INSURANCE 3D where he and his team are rewriting and revising the entire treatise. He has written other books on insurance law. He has published in excess of 320 law reviews and other professional publications on insurance law in addition to his books. Mr. Plitt has been cited by the Supreme Courts of 29 states, the Intermediate Appellate Courts in 20 states, 10 of the Federal Circuit Courts of Appeal, 37 Federal District Courts, and the Federal Court of Claims. He has been cited in 87 scholarly articles.

Steven Plitt has been continuously listed as a top 50 lawyer in Arizona (2007-2014) by SOUTHWEST SUPER LAWYERS®, has been listed in BEST LAWYERS® since 2007 (insurance), and was named the Insurance Lawyer of the Year by BEST LAWYERS® in 2012 for Phoenix. He is a Fellow in the American College of Coverage and Extracontractual Counsel and a Member of the American Law Institute where he is a consultive member on the development of the RESTATEMENT OF LIABILITY INSURANCE.

Written by leading attorneys in insurance practice around the country, this book provides leading-edge discussion of insurance ramifications of major disasters. It provides varied perspectives on handling insurance coverage cases, with tips for almost any kind of situation that arises.

This is one of the most comprehensive, practical guides available for handling insurance liability cases. It explains essential legal concepts for handling basic insurance liability coverage questions.

The experts in IEN are dedicated to their critical role in litigation, whether it be educating counsel on nuances of insurance, assisting attorneys in determining the merit of a case, testing potential evidence or testifying in a deposition or trial.

IEN provides in-depth knowledge of the Insurance Industry and maintains a listing of over 120 Specialized Insurance Areas. The following is a sample of these areas:

Ivan E. Cohen RF, ARM, CRM, CIC, AAI, MLIS, CRIS, CPIA, has 38 years of experience in the Insurance Industry serving as an agent and broker. In 1979, he opened his own agency where he still serves as president.

Mr. Cohen is a member of the Global Risk Management Institute, an associate member of the Risk and Insurance Management Society and holds the distinction of being a RIMS Fellow and a contributing insurance columnist for Risk Management Magazine.

Litigation Support - Mr. Cohen serves as an expert witness and litigation consultant on insurance related matters and currently serves as a subject matter expert for the New York State Department of Financial Services on the Insurance Exam Review Committee. His services are available to counsel representing both Plaintiff and Defense.

Ty R. Sagalow is a 30-year veteran of the Insurance Industry who specializes in Directors and Officers Liability Insurance and Professional Liability Insurance (including cyber). Mr. Sagalow has held senior executive positions in underwriting, legal, and product development for major insurance companies including AIG (25 years) as General Counsel, Chief Underwriting Officer and Chief Innovation Officer, as well as Zurich and Tower Group (both as Chief Innovation Officer).

Background: - Mr. Sagalow is the former general counsel and chief underwriting officer for the largest provider of management and professional liability insurance (AIG). In his 30 years of insurance experience, he has drafted multiple insurance policies in the management liability and professional liability space. He is widely credited as the chief architect of the modern D&O as well as Cyber insurance policy forms. He was charged with creating and training of underwriting intent and industry custom and practices in these lines of insurance.

Mr. Sagalow provides expert witness services in Management and Professional Liability. He has been engaged by numerous lawfirms representing both insurance carriers and policyholders. According to the U.S. District Court, “Mr. Sagalow’s diverse professional experience demonstrates a breadth of experience drafting and interpreting policies, making underwriting decisions, and claims handling… The Court that Sagalow's experience, training and education provided a sufficient foundation of reliability for his testimony. His specialized knowledge in the insurance field may be helpful to the trier of fact in understanding the evidence or determining facts in issue...Mr. Sagalow is qualified under Rule 702 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

A director or officer being sued or investigated for allegations of mismanagement is facing one of her or his worse nightmares. His reputation is at stake (often fueled by a stream of adverse news articles in the local press) and, because a director's or officer's liability even for "corporate decisions" is a personal liability, such a claim can be a financial nightmare as well. The situation is made all the worse when the director receives notification that the D&O insurer may be denying coverage. This article will lay out the top ten steps for a director to take to put him back in control. It all starts with

Britta M. Moss CPCU, SCLA, AIC-M, is a graduate of The Ohio State University and a 20+ year veteran of the Property & Casualty Insurance industry. Her experience ranges from front-line claim handling through corporate level management.

In 2012, Ms. Moss began working as an Independent Claims Consultant, providing support for law firms in the areas of coverage analysis, review of damages, and consultation regarding Bad Faith matters, as well as Claim Auditing services for insurers. Since co-founding Highbanks Insurance Professionals in 2014, she continues to provide a range of uniquely qualified claim consulting services with a focus on the identification, minimization, and control of bad faith, extra-contractual, and other volatile exposures.

Litigation Support - Britta Moss has been involved in claim matters nationwide. She has been retained as an expert witness in both insurer defense and plaintiff cases. She has handled and overseen thousands of claims including large loss and serious injury/fatality exposures, complex coverage issues, and bad faith litigation.

Ms. Moss offers specialty Bad Faith Consultation and Expert services to provide attorneys and their clients a new level of support geared to help identify case strengths and weaknesses, anticipate opposing arguments, pursue effective avenues of discovery, and keep resolution opportunities open.